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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | May 2, 2023 09:31 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Scott Martin |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Pennsylvania Girls Wrestling Day |
| In the near future, I will reintroduce a resolution that designates May 17, 2023, as Pennsylvania Girls Wrestling Day. The girls’ wrestling movement has faced a long road in Pennsylvania and across the nation. Today, the sport is recognized as the fastest-growing high school athletic competition in the entire country. The rapid growth in the sport not only offers an avenue for competition for the girls, but also provides new scholarship and educational opportunities for athletes. Earlier this year, the sport reached an important milestone with the creation of the 100th girls’ wrestling program in Pennsylvania. This was the benchmark set by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) in order for the sport to be officially recognized and sanctioned statewide. Since then, PIAA has taken several key steps toward sanctioning the sport. A final decision on this historic proposal is expected at the PIAA Board of Directors meeting on May 17, 2023. Today, there are 108 teams located throughout the Commonwealth. These milestones would not have been possible without the dedicated work of advocates, coaches, and student-athletes who have blazed a trail for others to follow. My resolution honors the efforts of the young ladies who have helped build this sport in recent years, as well as the grassroots efforts of the Pennsylvania Girls High School Wrestling Task Force – also known as “SanctionPA” – for their tireless work to promote the sport statewide. As a result of their hard work, the movement earned the support of groups from across our country including Pennsylvania USA Wrestling, Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Association, National Wrestling Coaches Association, National High School Coaches Association, the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Wrestle Like A Girl. The positive influence that wrestling has had on my life cannot be understated. I am proud to see young women throughout the Commonwealth experience that same positive influence as the sport grows in Pennsylvania and across the country. Seeing the sport sanctioned statewide will build on our state’s rich wrestling tradition while also providing young female athletes greater opportunities to achieve success on the mat, in the classroom, and throughout their lives. I ask for your support by co-sponsoring this resolution. |
Introduced as SR119